Materials For Advanced Energy Systems And Fission Amp Fusion Engineering

This textbook accommodates the two divergent developmental paths which have become solidly established in the field of fusion energy: the process of sequential tokamak development toward a prototype and the need for a more fundamental and integrative research approach before costly design choices are made.Emphasis is placed on the development of physically coherent and mathematically clear characterizations of the scientific and technological foundations of fusion energy which are specifically suitable for a first course on the subject. Of interest, therefore, are selected aspects of nuclear physics, electromagnetics, plasma physics, reaction dynamics, materials science, and engineering systems, all brought together to form an integrated perspective on nuclear fusion and its practical utilization.The book identifies several distinct themes. The first is concerned with preliminary and introductory topics which relate to the basic and relevant physical processes associated with nuclear fusion. Then, the authors undertake an analysis of magnetically confined, inertially confined, and low-temperature fusion energy concepts. Subsequently, they introduce the important blanket domains surrounding the fusion core and discuss synergetic fusion-fission systems. Finally, they consider selected conceptual and technological subjects germane to the continuing development of fusion energy systems.

In recent years the effort devoted to assuring both the safety and reliability of commercial nuclear fission power reactors has markedly increased. The incentives for performing this work are large since the resulting im provement in plant productivity translates into lower fuel costs and, more importantly, reduced reliance on imported oil. Reliability and availability of nuclear power plants, whether fission or fusion, demand that more attention be focused on the behavior of materials. Recent experiences with fission power indicate that the basic properties of materials, which categorize their reliable behavior under specified conditions, need reinforcement to assure trouble-free operation for the expected service life. The pursuit of additional information con tinues to demand a better understanding of some of the observed anom alous behavior, and of the margin of resistance of materials to unpre dictable service conditions. It is also apparent that, next to plasma heating and confinement, materials selection represents the most serious chal lenge to the introduction of fusion power. The recognition of the importance of materials performance to nu clear plant performance has sustained a multimillion dollar worldwide research and development effort that has yielded significant results, both in quantification of the performance limits of materials in current use and the development and qualification of new materials. Most of this infor mation appears in the open literature in the form of research reports, journal articles, and conference proceedings.

Nuclear energy is important both as a very large energy resource and as a source of carbon free energy. However incidents such as the Fukashima Daiichi nuclear disaster (2011), the Chernobyl disaster (1986), and the Three Mile Island accident (1979) have cast doubts on the future of nuclear fission as a major player in the future energy mix. This volume provides an excellent overview of the current situation regarding nuclear fission as well as a description of the enormous potential advantages offered by nuclear fusion including an essentially unlimited fuel supply with minimal environmental impact. Energy from the Nucleus focuses on the two main approaches to producing energy from the nucleus: fission and fusion. The chapters on nuclear fission cover the status of current and future generations of reactors as well as new safety requirements and the environmental impact of electricity production from nuclear fission. The chapters on nuclear fusion discuss both inertial confinement fusion and magnetic confinement fusion, including the new international fusion test facility, ITER. The expertise of the authors, who are active participants in the respective technologies, ensures that the information provided is both reliable and current. Their views will no doubt enlighten our understanding of the future of energy from the nucleus.

NSA is a comprehensive collection of international nuclear science and technology literature for the period 1948 through 1976, pre-dating the prestigious INIS database, which began in 1970. NSA existed as a printed product (Volumes 1-33) initially, created by DOE's predecessor, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). NSA includes citations to scientific and technical reports from the AEC, the U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration and its contractors, plus other agencies and international organizations, universities, and industrial and research organizations. References to books, conference proceedings, papers, patents, dissertations, engineering drawings, and journal articles from worldwide sources are also included. Abstracts and full text are provided if available.